DES MOINES – A Waterloo man convicted of murdering a Mason City man in a fight over a woman lost his appeal.
James Farnsworth, age 24, appealed his conviction for second-degree murder in the death of Ian Decker. Farnsworth stabbed Decker, 24, of Mason City to death on April 14th, 2012 during a fight over a girlfriend near the 600 block of East State Street, just west of the railroad underpass.
Farnsworth asserted three bases of error: (1) the State engaged in prosecutorial misconduct when it referenced Farnsworth’s conduct earlier in the evening, prior to the fight in which he stabbed the victim; (2) the district court abused its discretion when it granted the State’s motion to strike a prospective juror for cause; and (3) Farnsworth’s Miranda rights were violated when the State introduced evidence of his statements to police.
The court concluded that Farnsworth failed to preserve error on both his prosecutorial misconduct and Miranda claims. The court further concluded the district court did not abuse its discretion when striking the prospective juror for cause. The juror indicated he was biased against the prosecution before being dismissed.
According to court documents:
On April 13, 2012, Farnsworth, his girlfriend, Victoria Miller, and several others were at the apartment of Echo Dority. The group then decided to go to a local bar. At the bar, Miller received a text of a smiley face from her ex-boyfriend, Ian Decker, who is also the father of her child. Farnsworth and Miller argued, and Farnsworth slapped Miller. Miller then told Farnsworth she was “done with him” and that he should leave. With the encouragement of others in the group, Farnsworth left.
Not long after that, the group decided to go back to Dority’s apartment. Farnsworth was waiting around the corner from the bar. Miller ignored Farnsworth and others told him to leave. Undeterred, Farnsworth followed the group, which continued to largely ignore his presence. When Farnsworth approached Miller, Dority kicked Farnsworth in the crotch, causing him to fall to the ground. Farnsworth got up and ran to Dority’s apartment, arriving ahead of the group.
Dority did not allow Farnsworth to enter her apartment. In an effort to talk with Miller, Farnsworth sent her numerous text messages. Miller replied, telling him to leave and that “[e]veryone wants to beat the f*** out of you.” Farnsworth threatened to kill himself and walked away from the door and out of sight of those in the apartment.
Dority and Miller went outside the apartment to wait for Decker, whom Dority had invited. After Decker’s arrival, Farnsworth came from around the corner and made a request to speak with Miller, which she refused. Miller and Decker told Farnsworth to leave, so he got in his car and drove quickly away. However, a few minutes later, Farnsworth “came barreling back down the street” as other guests, Alyssa Fullerton and Derek Wentworth, were leaving the apartment. Miller and Wentworth told Farnsworth to leave. Farnsworth approached Miller, and Wentworth stepped between the two. After Miller informed Farnsworth she did not want to speak with him, Farnsworth stated: “If Ian [Decker] tries anything, I’m going to f****** stab him.”
Decker was standing around the corner of the apartment building. Upon hearing Miller and Farnsworth arguing, Decker appeared to be very angry. He walked around the corner and began fighting with Farnsworth. It was not disputed that Decker threw the first punch. Miller tried to warn Decker by yelling, “[S]top, [Decker], he has a knife.” The two continued fighting and grappled on the ground but both got back up. At one point, Decker was hunched over Farnsworth, but Farnsworth was able to throw Decker off of him. When Decker stood up, he lifted his shirt to reveal blood streaming down his chest and onto the sidewalk. Decker collapsed; Miller and Dority applied pressure to his chest wound. Farnsworth stood there briefly, then got in his car and sped away. It was later revealed Decker had been stabbed once in the ribs, once in the thigh, and had a cutting wound on his left forearm. Although police and paramedics quickly arrived, Decker died at the scene from the stab wound in his side, which had pierced his heart.
Police stopped Farnsworth shortly after he drove away. Farnsworth was cooperative and informed police the knife was in his center console. When asked what happened, Farnsworth replied Decker had punched him four or five times, prompting Farnsworth to pull the knife from his pocket and “[fling] it around.” Although Farnsworth had some visible injuries, he refused medical treatment and was transported to the police station. Farnsworth later complained about being dizzy, and was then taken to the hospital. A neurological exam revealed the absence of a head injury, and though the doctor thought perhaps Farnsworth’s nose was broken, Farnsworth refused to have X-rays taken and declined further treatment.
Farnsworth was charged with murder in the second degree on April 20, 2012. A jury trial was held, and on January 17, 2013, the jury returned a verdict of guilty.
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I guess my main point is that Iowa needs to better clarify and abide by rules concerning self defense and the definition of aggression and attacking someone. It resides presently in a wishy/washy state of MANCODE, UFC infatuation, fists and knuckles, as opposed to sticking with clear cut rules that stipulate: If you attack someone, whether it be with fists, or weapons, the person attacked has the right to defend themselves by whatever means necessary to stop the attack
My overarching message is I want to STOP this infatuation with fist fights and replace it with the notion that attacking someone physically is a grave sin, and that if you do attack someone, you are placing your own life at the mercy of the person you are attacking. Such drastic measures are needed to instill a sense of civility and responsibility among the people, and to curb the bar fight / tough guy mentality many in North Iowa suffer from. “Keep your dirty paws off me you damn ape”
I guess my final message on this subject is that of RESTRAINT. I sympathize with what was happening that night: obviously Farnsworth was begging for an encounter with Decker. Decker “manned” up and met the challenge head on, fists flying. But the notion of bravery/cowardice as it applies to simple human conflicts being a male ‘right of passage’ needs to end. Just CALL THE POLICE and take aggressors away. In time aggression will stop, and a civil society will ensue.
It’s odd we don’t punish the female for pitting these two against each other. It seems it was her behavior that may have caused this in the first place.
Did you know that 100 years ago, if you caught your wife in bed with another man you could kill them both.
It appears then, in Iowa if you physically attack someone that person can only use his fists and wrestling skills as a defense. He must retreat and not use a gun or other weapon as a defense. Not even a taser.
In Iowa as long there are no witnesses one could claim he was physically assaulted and then beat the other person to a pulp. “He hit me first”. A bullies paradise.
Iowa Sucks, as usual you have demonstrated your propensity to logic against MANY illogical forces and decrees found in our world. What’s also b.s. is police tend to listen to the group gaggle and favor the crowds over the loner…so as long as everyone was saying “Jamie was acting weird…Jamie was acting like an asshole, Jamie just wouldn’t leave”, then it justifies in their minds that Ian Decker had the right to attack him and start beating him, and Jamie lost his right to defense.
Iowa has discombobulated rules concerning self defense. Some believe as soon as someone lunges at them, they have the right to draw their weapon and fire, yet others believe if you’re attacked with fists, you have no choice but to defend with fists. Double standards apply: A rich businessman walking to his car has the right to shoot and kill a thug attacking him with fists, but a Farnsworth doesn’t have the right to use a knife when attacked, because he was causing trouble to a girl.
Obviously there’s some heated comments beginning to emerge as apparently some people on here knew the deceased. I did not. However, what we are arguing is the semantics of what it means to attack someone, and what it means to defend yourself if attacked. Regardless of what a douche’bag this Farnsworth was being that night, he was attacked by Decker. If you are punched and wrestled to the ground, an aggressor is violating your personal space and dominating your body.
As in the Trayvon Martin/ George Zimmerman case…the jury ruled that the act of being attacked and beaten by an aggressor allowed George Zimmerman to use his weapon to defend himself. (The facts of that case may be disputed, but going on the assumptions that were presented…) I don’t see how this should be any different. If Ian Decker came from around the corner fists flying…at that point HE was the aggressor, and Farnsworth should have had the rights to defend himself.
Not everyone subscribes to or believes in fist fighting rules of the 1950’s. As many fights have shown, people can be kicked into unconsciousness, they can die from hitting their heads on concrete…any number of variables can occur in an all out melee. THE POLICE SHOULD HAVE BEEN CALLED, and this Ian Decker should not have taken it upon himself to attack Jamie Farnsworth, as unwelcome a guy he apparently was. The rules need to shift on fighting in America. Keep it in the RING.
This is in NO way stand your ground..Which by the way Iowa doesn’t have… Iowa has a duty to retreat… Anyway this POS couldn’t man up and fight like he should of as he knew he would get his ass kicked. Ian was a stand up kid that knew how to fight. Ian got called to the apartment and did the right thing but paid with his life. Ian should still be here and convict boy should be the one who is dead.. THAT is the truth
Let this be a lesson to everyone. If somebody attacks you in MC, you got to take it. If he’s bigger and can beat you to a pulp and attacks first, tough turkey, turn the other cheek and just except your beating.
After reading these details how is this not stand your ground self defense? If a man had a gun and was attacked, it would be assumed he could use it. Why not a knife then? It matters who attacks who first. I believe this guy should appeal to Supreme Court. This is no different than the Trayvon Martin case.
@Philly-I agree on this case.
Farnsworth stated: “If Ian [Decker] tries anything, I’m going to f****** stab him”
Pretty straight forward
It sounds like hearsay evidence and is besides the point. This Farnsworth obviously was in a jealous rage and should have left long ago (why didn’t they just call the cops on him?) But the facts are the facts: Ian Decker attacked him and began punching him. The legislators, cops and prosecutors need to get their rules straight: We are either a stand your ground state or we are not. In my view, once someone attacks you, you should be able to defend as you see fit.
I wouldn’t say its hearsay 2 or more people witnessed & heard that comment and then the remark became true I’d say that’s far from hearsay. And as far as them not calling the cops obviously they were all friends at the start of the night having a good time things escalated at the bar maybe they were trying to save their “friend” some trouble of a public intox charge or some other dumb charge at that point. By telling him to leave mulitpal times? But no he didn’t listen & came…
Looking for a fight. And knew what he intended to do that’s the difference between this and your original statement about the Florida case they couldn’t prove intent but you can here
It is very similar to the George Zimmerman case. George Zimmerman also made prior statements about wanting to get the people he felt were ruining his neighborhood, and like Zimmerman, Farnsworth shouldn’t have been where he was…but that still doesn’t give Trayvon Martin (Ian Decker) the right to attack him. Both Trayvon Martin and Ian Decker lost their lives because they were in fact the aggressors.